With the growing market for, and use of, portable electronic devices such as, for example, so called “notebook” computers which can be used for connecting to wireless networks such as the Internet or home or office wireless networks, an increasing number of antennas are being arranged in these devices in order to be able to use different kinds of networks or communication principles. One example of such a communication principle of which mention can be made is the so called MIMO technology, Multiple Input Multiple Output technology. Another principle which it may be desired to use in a portable device such as a notebook computer is diversity reception, i.e. a principle according to which signals from different antennas are compared, and the strongest signal is used. In addition, the signals received by two or more antennas may be added in order to obtain a stronger total signal.
Due to the growing number of antennas in portable electronic devices such as notebook computers, there is a corresponding need for solutions by means of which the antennas in such a device can be arranged and used in an optimal fashion.
In particular, this need is accentuated by the fact that in a notebook computer, the antennas will usually be arranged in the foldable lid of the computer, so that the antennas may not always be in one and the same position when the device is used. Recently, portable computers have been introduced in which the lid can not only be folded, but can also be rotated and flipped over to act as a drawing board, which further underscores the fact that the lid, and thus the antennas arranged in the lid, can be in a multitude of different positions during use.
Apart from notebook computers, other examples of portable electronic devices in which there are similar needs for better use of antennas arranged in the device are, for example, so called “PDAs”, Personal Digital Assistants, and cellular telephones. These devices may also be equipped with foldable or expandable/retractable lids, in which the antennas are arranged.